The Senate has passed for second reading a bill that would create a national framework for Nigeria’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and broader green mobility.

Titled the Electric Vehicles Transition and Green Mobility Bill, 2025, the proposal seeks to streamline policy, spur private investment, and guide a gradual move away from petrol and diesel engines toward cleaner, energy-efficient transport. 

The bill was sponsored by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North), who chairs the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC). 

Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the measure to the Committee on Industry, which is expected to report back in four weeks.

‘Nigeria Must Not Be Left Behind’

Leading debate on the floor, Senator Kalu argued that Nigeria stands to gain economically and strategically from an EV transition.

He noted that global EV market projections are expected to top USD 1.5 trillion by 2030 and pointed to Nigeria’s advantages, such as a large consumer base and deposits of key battery minerals like lithium and nickel, as the basis for building local manufacturing and battery production capabilities.

Kalu framed the bill as a response to twin pressures: environmental degradation and energy dependence. He cited the transport sector’s sizable share of national greenhouse gas emissions and the country’s heavy reliance on a vehicle fleet that is overwhelmingly powered by fossil fuels.

With countries from South Africa to Kenya already rolling out EV policies, Nigeria, he said, “cannot afford to be left behind.”

What the Bill Would Do

The bill would:

• Establish a National Electric Vehicle Development and Promotion Council (NEVDPC) to coordinate EV policy, standards, and regulations across all tiers of government.
• Incentivise local manufacturing and assembly of EVs, batteries, and components through fiscal support and public-private partnerships.
• Roll out a nationwide charging infrastructure, beginning with high-demand corridors and urban centres.
• Electrify public fleets first—federal, state, and local government vehicles—before scaling to commercial operators and private adoption.
• Support hybrid and transitional technologies as the market matures and grids are strengthened.

Economic, Energy, and Health Rationale

According to Kalu, the legislation is as much an industrial policy as an environmental one. It aims to:

• Create new jobs in auto manufacturing, renewable energy, software/ICT, maintenance, and technical education.
• Improve energy security by reducing dependence on imported refined fuels and leveraging locally generated electricity.
• Deliver public-health benefits through lower tailpipe emissions and cleaner urban air.

He described the proposal as “visionary and timely,” aligning with the Federal Government’s push for industrial diversification, sustainability, and innovation-led growth. “By passing this bill, Nigeria can modernise its transport system and position itself as a continental leader in green mobility,” he said.